Longneck

Longneck is the Land Before Time term for sauropods. It obviously comes from the fact that most of them have very long necks. Most species had very long tails as well, and several were very large. Species seen in The Land Before Time are:

Owing to the fairly level head possessed by some types, the racial slur "Flathead" is sometimes used by other dinosaurs when referring to a Longneck (possibly only Apatosaurus), or also "Bumphead" when referring to sauropods such as Diplodocus. However, Petrie uses "Flathead" seemingly as an affectionate nickname for his friend rather than an insult. However, Littlefoot doesn't like being called Flathead.

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Legends about Longnecks

The Lone Dinosaur was a legendary hero long ago - before Grandpa Longneck was alive, as he states later in the movie - who would just show up out of nowhere whenever there was danger afoot in a community. One day, what was declared the "biggest, meanest, most ferocious Sharptooth ever" came to the Great Valley, and while everyone ran away, the Lone Dinosaur appeared and battled with the Sharptooth on his own. His opponent managed to lacerate his eye, which apparently left a permanent scar running down the side of his face, but he still ended up victorious.

A short while after he had defeated the Sharptooth and left the Great Valley, a rocky formation rose up out of the ground, shaped like a Longneck, with a ring of teeth encircling its neck. The teeth were said to be those of the same Sharptooth as the one he had killed. It was also believed that if the formation got damaged in any way, it would unyield its curse on the entire valley.

Pat tells the children a story he had heard from his grand-dad about how Longnecks came to have long necks:

“

"A long, long time ago, the Night Circle got jealous of the Great Circle on account of how the Great Circle is so much brighter and folks stay awake for it, but sleep while the Night Circle is up there. So the Night Circle grabbed the Great Circle and threw it from the sky so it'd smash into the world below. But there just so happened to be a herd of Longnecks standing down there. And they stretched their necks up and caught the great circle on their heads, and then shoved it right back up into the sky."

”

— Pat

He also claims that's why there are Longnecks so that if the Bright Circle ever falls, the Longnecks will be able to catch it and put it back up in the sky.

"Many cold times ago, before you or I had hatched, Longnecks had short necks. Back then, the trees were very short so they could eat tree stars from the top of the trees. The trees would sing to the Bright Circle everyday as it crossed the sky. The Bright Circle liked their song so much that it reached down and pulled the trees until they were very time. That way they would be closer to the sky when they sang their Bright Circle songs. But now, the tree stars were so high that the short-necked Longnecks couldn't reach them. That night, the Night Circle felt sorry for them. And reached down to comfort them. The light made them feel better. And so, they lifted their heads up to get closer to the Night Circle. In doing so, their necks stretched enough to reach the tree stars. The kindness of the Night Circle helped us become Longnecks."